Wright returns to claim leading rider crown
Yesterday, he returned and notched up a double in the Irish Horse Board-sponsored show at the sun-drenched Cork venue.
The 23-year-old from Retford, near Doncaster, was a worthy winner of the World Cup class on Park Pilot. His claim to the leading rider crown was complete when he took the top two places in the two-star class on Irish-bred Grove Joucas and Another Cavalier, respectively.
He was only denied a one-two in the feature by Army rider Lieutenant Geoff Curran, who finished runner-up on the impressive Kilkishen, with Wright third on L’Air Du Jour.
Unsurprisingly, Wright was strident in his praise of Ballindenisk, describing it as a “mini Badminton”.
“I came here because I heard good things about it, particularly the generous prize money. The cross-country course was certainly up to three-star standard. It was meaty, solid and asked plenty of questions,” said Wright, who bagged a €16,000, four-day stay on a private yacht for six people in the Mediterranean for being the event’s leading rider.
Lt Curran was placed fifth on Quick Thinking, earning a €1,000 bonus prize for the highest placed IHB-approved horse.
“Taking three ribbons by any standard is a good day’s work,” said the Waterford rider.
Wright set himself up for victory on Saturday with a solid dressage score of 45 penalties on the 12-year-old skewbald. However, Lt Curran was nipping at his heels, the judges marking him down for 50 penalties.
Yesterday morning’s cross-country saw Wright extend his lead, adding 0.8 time penalties for a score of 45.8. Lt Curran augmented his score by 3.6 for a provisional total of 53.6.
In the concluding show jumping phase, Lt Curran floored the second. It meant Wright had two fences in hand, but the Briton finished in style, jumping clear to take the top prize in the €15,000 competition.
Wright earlier produced a clear on L’Air Du Jour over a full World Cup height show jumping course.
Lt Curran goes to Punchestown next month after achieving his aim of qualifying for the event.
Wright powered two of his three rides home first and second on their dressage scores in the two-star. With Grove Joucas, this was 44.1, while Another Cavalier also jumped cross-country and show jumping clears to finish on 51.6.
The Irish challenge came with Steven Smith, the Northerner also completing on his dressage score of 57.2 with Castlehill.
In the Brookpark Saddlery one-star competition, the honours went to Michael Ryan on Master Mexico.
Show jumper Harry Marshall rode All Shook Up to victory in the grand prix at Cervia, while in the opening competition of the Boswell Equestrian Grand Prix League at Louth County Show, Paul O’Shea (The Patriot) denied 2005 league winner Cian O’Connor (Casper).
